Shimane University Guide for International Students: Programs, Admissions, Tuition, Scholarships & Student Life

Thinking about studying in Japan but want somewhere authentic, affordable, and academically solid? Welcome to Shimane University—a national university rooted in Matsue and Izumo in western Japan’s San’in region. This guide walks you through key facts, strengths, campus life, climate, scholarships, and career pathways to help you decide if Shimane is the right fit. Wherever possible, we link to up-to-date official sources so you can verify fees, programs, and student support on your own.

Quick Facts

Type	National (Public)
Total Students	6,138 (as of May 1, 2025) Prospectus 2025–26 (PDF)
Campuses	Matsue (Main), Izumo (Medicine) — Access
Faculties/Schools	Faculty of Law & Literature; Faculty of Education; Faculty of Human Science; Faculty of Medicine; Interdisciplinary Faculty of Science & Engineering; Faculty of Materials for Energy; Faculty of Life & Environmental Science; Graduate Schools (Human & Social Sciences; Education; Medical Research; Natural Science & Technology). Organization
Tuition Fees	Tuition ¥535,800/year; Admission fee ¥282,000; Entrance exam fee ¥30,000 (UG app. fee ¥17,000). See official guidance: Study Abroad (International Center)
Gender Ratio	≈ 40% female : 60% male (THE 2025). THE profile
Intl-Student %	≈ 4.3% (261 / 6,138; as of May 1, 2025) — International enrollment / Prospectus
Students per Staff	≈ 8.2 : 1 (THE 2025 method). Alt: ≈ 2.5 : 1 using total headcount (6,138 students / 2,464 staff in Prospectus). THE / Prospectus

Campus Maps

Matsue Campus (Main, Matsue City)

Address: 1060 Nishikawatsu-cho, Matsue, Shimane 690-8504, Japan

Izumo Campus (Faculty of Medicine, Izumo City)

Address: 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan

Mission, History & Founding Story

Shimane University is a national (public) university serving the San’in region with a mission to cultivate individuals who can contribute to society while staying closely connected to local communities and industries. In the university’s charter, Shimane emphasizes developing human resources grounded in rich nature, history, and culture, and promoting research that addresses unique local issues with global relevance. Shimane University Charter

The university maintains two campuses: Matsue (the main campus) and Izumo (home to Medicine). The setting—Matsue’s lakefront cityscape and Izumo’s historic shrines—shapes student life through cultural immersion, field-based research, and collaboration with local governments and companies. Over time, Shimane has specialized in interdisciplinary research rooted in regional challenges: coastal and estuary ecosystems, materials and manufacturing (including the renowned “Tatara” ironmaking heritage), disaster risk reduction across geology and earth sciences, and community-centered education and health. Access (campus locations)

Today, Shimane continues to expand global ties—both by welcoming international students and by sending domestic students abroad—while reinforcing its identity as a university that “shines with individuality that transmits from the community to the world.” This balanced identity (local roots, global reach) informs program design, faculty hiring, and outreach via the International Center. International Center

Key Strengths & Unique Features

Flagship Areas: Earth & Environmental Science, Materials/Manufacturing, and Estuary/Coastal Research

Earth & Geoenvironmental Science (Graduate Special Program) offers master’s and doctoral training with coursework and supervision in English, with research spread across structural geology, volcanology, environmental hazards, and more. Program pages outline facilities and staff in detail. Program overview | Department (English)

Materials & Manufacturing (Tatara Co-Creation Centre) connects cutting-edge materials engineering with Shimane’s historic Tatara steelmaking heritage, linking labs with corporate partners. This includes advanced R&D and human resource development platforms. About the Centre | Tatara (EN) | Example industry collaboration: Sumitomo Chemical

Estuary & Coastal Systems (EsReC)—the Estuary Research Center—conducts interdisciplinary research across environmental change, fluid dynamics, and aquatic ecology in a unique brackish-water setting (Lake Shinji & Nakaumi). The Center’s English pages present divisions, staff, and graduate-school connections. EsReC (EN) | Graduate connections

Interdisciplinary Faculty of Science & Engineering (IFSE)

Shimane’s IFSE emphasizes hands-on projects and cross-field problem solving, a good fit for students seeking broad engineering/science training before specializing. IFSE overview

Internationalization & English Support

The International Center provides admissions guidance, housing info, scholarships, dorm recruitment notices, and faculty support. Many resources are in English. Study Abroad (EN) | International Center | Dorm recruitment (sample) | International House (Matsue)

Student Life for Internationals

Clubs & Circles

From cultural clubs and sports to volunteer groups, student-led activities are central to campus life. See the university’s campus-life hub for facilities, unions, and activities. Campus Life

Support Offices (visa, housing, counseling)

International students receive guidance on entry procedures, fees, scholarships, dorms, and local living. Start with the International Center’s Study Abroad page and FAQ. Study Abroad | FAQ | Job Hunting

Language-exchange & community resources

Local organizations also help: the Shimane International Center (SIC) offers multilingual consultation, scholarships, and short-term accommodation for newly arrived students. SIC – Support for International Students | Multilingual consultation | Short-term accommodation

Partner Institutions & Exchange Options

Shimane partners with universities worldwide. If you’re currently enrolled at Shimane, you can apply for outbound exchange; if you’re abroad, check if your home university already has an agreement with Shimane. International Agreements (overview) | Detailed list: Agreements (full list)

Local Climate & Lifestyle

Matsue has four seasons, with relatively mild winters (occasional snow) and warm, humid summers. For recent climate normals and monthly statistics, refer to the Japan Meteorological Agency’s tables and reports. JMA Climate Tables | JMA Climate Change Monitoring Report 2023 (PDF)

Safety & cost of living: Japan is generally very safe; in emergencies dial 110 (Police) or 119 (Fire/Ambulance). JNTO: Emergencies | Matsue travel tips | Cost-of-living overview: japan-guide.com

Nearby natural highlights: the Oki Islands UNESCO Global Geopark is a spectacular weekend trip from Matsue. Oki Islands Geopark

International Student Statistics

As of May 1, 2025, Shimane University reports a total of 261 international students across undergraduate, graduate, and non-degree categories (U, G, N). Check the International Center for the latest breakdowns. Enrollment of International Students

Career & Graduate Prospects

The International Center’s job-hunting page explains support programs, internship scholarships, and networks that help international students seek employment, especially in the San’in region. Job Hunting (International Center)

Students in science/engineering, coastal and environmental fields, and healthcare benefit from regionally anchored research centers and industry links (e.g., Tatara materials, EsReC, hospital networks), plus exchange agreements that broaden overseas experience—assets that strengthen both Japanese and global job searches. Tatara Centre | EsReC | International agreements